Stencil-printing machine.



0; L. BURDIO K, STENCIL PRINTING MACHINE. APPLICATION IfILED OUT. 14,1908.

Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

0. L. BURDIGK. STENCIL PRINTING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED OCT. 14,1908.

Patented Au 31, 1909.

3SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fill/67366071 (7/ W r566 '13, wraivo/f 6012257065566: @ZW/d c. L. BURDICK. STENCIL PRINTING MAGHINE. APPLIUATION FILED 00T.14,190B; 932,600 Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITEDSTATES PAT,

CHARLES L. BURDIGK, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ST E NGIL-PRINTINTG MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31,1909.

Application fiIedOctober 14, 1908. Serial No. 457,628.

To all whom 'it may concern: i

, Be it known that I, CHARLES L. BURDIOK, a citizen of the United States,.residing at London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Stencil-Printing Ma-.

chines, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompan 'ng draw1ngs,f0rm- 10.

ing'a part of this s eci cation.

M invention relates to stencil printing macinery, the object being to provide improved and more efiicient construction and,

and in order to attain greater uniformity in the application of the printing fluid, the spray provement over the stencil operation.

My invention will be considered as an imrinting machine disclosed in my Patent 0. 767,684, of August 16, 1904. In the machine of this patent, the electrically controlled sprayersare mounted on stationary supporting bars,

ers arein stagger arrangement, and the nozz es are elliptical, in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the stencilf tioular sprayer which it is desired to adjust.

Another feature of my resent invention is, therefore, to enable indlvidual and multiple adjustment to be made of the valves in a simplified manner.

A third feature lies in means for compensating for the stretch of the printed material, in order to prevent the wet material from wiping color on the edges of the stencil, and

a fourth feature lies in the more efficient wiper, or sue-king devices, for'removing the surplus color from the stencil. v

1 shall describe the several features of my invention more in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aside elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a top'view; Fig. 3 s an enlarged elevation view of the end of a sprayer supportalso carries a chain wheel or with more ing bar, showing the valve adjusting means; Fig. 4 is a top view of the parts shown in Fig.3; Fig.5is an end and part sectional view of the dustcollector, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the color wiper.

The supporting framework for the machine is re resented by 1, and has the up right mem ers 2, 3, 4 and 5. Journaled at the top of the uprights 2 and 3 is the driving shaft 6, carrying at its one end the driving pulley 7 connected as by the belt 8 with some driving engine not shown. Standards 9 and 10 supported from the left of the framework hear at an intermediate point a shaft 1.1, which carries the two guide pulleys 12 and 13. Bearing at the top of the uprights 4 and 5 isa shaft 14 carrying guide pulleys 15 and 16. Below and midway between the shafts 11 and 14 is a shaft 17 engaging in bearings 18 at the top of the framework 1. This shaft supports driving pulleys 19 and 20. Driving pulley 19 and guide pulleys l2 and 15 are in one lane at one side of the machine, and drlving i pulley 20 and guide pulleys 13 and 16 are in another lane at the other side of the machine. haft 17 pulley 21 connected by a chain or belt 22 with the driving chain wheel or pulley 23 on the main shaft 6. Disposed in the plane of the driving pulley 19 1s a supporting ring 24, which he 'the V slot 25 in its periphery, which slot is engaged by the beveledsurfaces of the pulleys 12, 15 and 19. At the opposite side of the machine, in the plane of pulley 20, is'a similar ring 26, having. the V slot 27 engaged by the beveled surfaces'of the pulleys 13, 16 and '20. Supported between and from said rings, and concentric therewith, is the stencil 28, the rings and stencil forming a stencil drum. The rotation of the driving shaft 6 is trans? mitted through the belt 22 to shaft 17 and to driving pulleys 19 and 20, and thence to the stencil drum, the guide pulleys 12, 13, 15 and 16' serving to guide and to hold the drum inproper position. On the driving shaft 6 there is also a drum or roller 29, and bearing in the uprights 4 and 5, below the shaft 14, is

a shaft 30 carrying acroller 31. Passing about the rollers 29 and 31 is a belt 32, whose upper section engages against thestencil drum, and whose lower section loops about a tightening roller 33 carried on shaft 34, adjustably secured slots 35 in the framework 1. Between the uv per'belt section and the drum is fed the fa ric 36 which .is to Idrum 38.

Extending through the stencil drum, I have shown two sprayer supporting rods 39 and 40, the rod 39' engaging in slide ways 41 and 42 suitably sup ortcd from the frame work at opposite s1 es of the stencil, while the bar 40 is supported in slide ways 43 and 44'suitably supported from the frame work at opposite sides of the drum. The end of a sprayer supporting rod is shown more in detail in Fig. 3, which shows each rod supporting a plurality of sprayer outfits 45 for directing coloring matter through the stencil to the fabric. At the right of the machine, and extending upwardly from the framework, is a shaft 46, hearing a sleeve 47.

This sleeve at its upper end carries a cross piece 48, havin in its ends the hearing slots 49 and 50. A ink 51 pivots to the sprayer supporting rod 39, and can be adjustably pivoted in the. slot 49 of the cross piece 48.

A link 52 pivots to the sprayer supporting edge 0 rod 40, and has adjustable pivotal connect'ion in the slot 50 of the cross piece 48.

.With this construction, rotational reciprocation of sleeve 47 will cause longitudinal rcciprocation of the sprayer supporting bars, so that the sprayers mounted on said bars are ipxrocated transversely over the stencil.

T e mechanism for automatically reciproeating the sleeve 47 is as follows: On the main driving shaft 6 there are two wheels 53 and 54 which engage between them the f a. transmission friction wheel 55 mounted on a shaft 56 extending from the upper end of a lever 57 pivoted to the l T111119. work at an intermediate point 58. The friction wheel 53 engages against the bearing upright 2, while a compression spring 59 engages between the framework and the wheel. 54, so that the transmission Wheel 55' is engaged by the wheels 53 and 54 with more or less friction. The opposite edge of the transmission wheel 55 is engaged between the friction wheels 60 and 61 mounted on a shaft 62 extending from the framework, the wheel 60 being at the end of said shaft and a spring 63 intervening between the framework. and the wheel 61, so that the wheels 60 and 61 are held in frictional engagement with the edge of the transmission wheel 55. Rotation .of shaft 6 is, therefore, transmitted through. the friction train to the friction wheel 60. Extending from the friction Wheel 60 is a crank pin 64, connected by connecting rod 65 with a link ,66 pivoted to an arm 67 extending to the right from the sleeve 47, so that rotation of the friction wheel 60 will result in rotational reciprocation of the sleeve 47 and longitudinal reciprocation. of the sprayer supportin bars 39 and 40. The link 66 has adjustah e pivotal-connection in the slot 68 in arm 67, and

asaeeo the rod 65 niu. ,-"also he mljustahlc in length so that the longitudinal reciprocation of the sprayer hars can he adjusted. As shown, the connecting rod comprises telescoping mcinhcrs which may he secured in any adjusted position hy the set screw 69. The lower end of-lcvcr 57 engages a threaded sleeve 70 adapted to travel on a screw shaft 71, actuated hy hand wheel "73. lrlovcment of the sleeve '70 aloirgthc shaft 71 will cause the upper end of said lc ver to swing to adjust the transmission relation of transrn.is sion wheel with respect to the friction wheels engaged thereby, and in this manner the speed of the sprayer hars can be controlled, and a very nice synchronizing between. the pattern of the stencil design. and the moving of the sprayer hers may he obtained. This nice adjustment is very necessary in. the production of wall papers, and some kinds of stencilcd fahric where the edges of the pieces must corrcsporul exactly with the 'v'nryin patterns.

Besides applying coloring matter to the fabric through the stencil, coloring matter could also he applied to the fabric after it passes the stencil, as for instance, where the fabric is to he given a hachgrouml. I have shown two sprayer bars, 73 and 7 4, suitably mounted in slide ways 75, 76. lllxtending upwardly from the framework is a shaft 77, hearing a sleeve 78 having at its top the cross piece 79 com l- 'l with the liar 73, through link 86, and with the bar 74 through link 81, in precisely the same manner as the cross piece lzv connected with the lHtIS 39 and 40 within the stencil. Extending from the sleeve 7 is an arm 82 connected by connecting rod 83 with an arm 84- extcnding from the sleeve 47. The rotation of this sleeve 47 therefore cau es reciprocation. of the rod 83 and longitud reciprocation of the srnnyer hers 73 and 74 in front of the stencil, so that the fabric 36 may he treated after passing the stencil.

It has been found in practice that when the fabric leaving the stencil machine, the wet surface thcrco if there is any tendency of the fabric to at; t 11, will marl; the up per edge of the tencil openings, and these rcposted mar nngs and accumulation of color matter at these edges will cause blotting, after a number of revolutions. To obviate this difficulty I have devised friction. driving connection between the belt rollers and the stencil driving wheels. As shown in Fig-2, the main driving shaft .6, which carries the belt roller :29, has secured thereto an inner friction clutch driving member 86, which is siurounded by an, outer driving member 85 rotatahly mounted on said shat t. This outer clutch member carries the driving pulley part 22? which. is connected hy a belt with the pi y 21 carried. on shaft l 7, which supports the driun-driving wheels '1!) and 20. The relative sizes of the pulleys and the wheels are such that the tendencv will be to give the stencil a greater peripheral speed than the belt pulleys, but so longas the fablie 26 travels at the same rate of speed as the belt, the friction between the aper and stencil will be greater than the traction between the clutch members, and the clutch memberswill slip and the stenciland belt will travel, at the same speed. However, should the fabric between the stencil and belt stretch after being printed, the friction between the stencil and paper will, of course,

, of the uprights 9 and 10 arearms 87 and 88,

terminating in rollers 89 and 90, which are held against the dr'um'by springs 91 and 92, respectively, so that the drum is held against the driving and guide wheels. Also pivoted at the upper ends of'uprights 9 and 10.are rods 93 and 94, which extend downwardly at the outside of the stencil drum and pivot in I the ends of their ends the trunnions 95 extending from suction tube 96, from which extendsa duct 97, Whose end is adjacent to the inner surface of the stencil, the' tube 96 being connected with some suitable suction source not shown. The outlet of the duct is divided into passageways by thin wiper plates or tongues 98, which gage the stencil and which wipe the color from the face of the stencil and 'conduct it into the interior of the duct, from whence it is carried into and through the tube by the suction, to be deposited in some suit. ole receptacle. Also extending through the stencil. at the lower part thereof are one or more tubes 99 also connected with some exhaust source, ducts IOO eXtending from these tubes into engage ment with the stencil, to remove dust and foreign particles therefrom. The tubes 99 can be supported from rods 101 extending upwar ily irom the framework. at the sides of the stencil drum, as shown. The stencil and fabric thereunder are thus cleansed of dust,

- dirt and otherforeign particles mg results.

during the stencrhng operation, and the surplus colormg matter 1s scraped and removed from each again into contact with the fabric, and clean-cut print- The sprayers which I use may of tlrcf construction shown in my Patent axes, 767,684 already referred to, with the cXcep tion that improved valve adjusting forecharii ism is provided. 4 In the construction of the patent, a thumb nut having threaded en;

gagement with the color valve stem must be any present machine,

guide wheel drum, which results in ic'hain and rotation of the means of the screw 117-. 1 suitable air and color inlets 119 and 120, re-

.nui iished at suitable periods, as

it is desired to adjust the thumbnuts are not always readily accessible,

and it would be more orless'difficult to ob tain proper adjustment of the valves. In

102 for the thumb nut shown in the patent. As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, this pinion is enga edby a gear 103 carried on an arbor 104, caring extensions 1'05 and 106 on the sprayer framework. A spiral spring 107 on the arbor is secured at one end to the extension 105, and at its arbor, the spring tendin 1'03an'd pinion 102 to ho closed position, Above the end the stencil drum, is a frame 108 mounting a plurality of drums 109, one for each sprayer. At the end of each drum is a gear .110 engaged by threads 111 of a screw 112. Each extension 106 has an arm 113 ivoting a other end is secured to the ofeach sprayer bar, outside I substitute a pinion guide. wheel 114 in the plane wit the gear K 103. Secured to the 103 is a chain 115, teeth of the eri hery of each ear w hicli meshes with the gear and which passes about the 114, and whose other end is secured to one of the drums 109. Therefore, by turning of one of the screws 1 12, the drum controlled thereby is rotated and the chain connected with the drum is woundon said gear 103 and pinion 102 to adjust'the corresponding color valve, this movement, being against the force of spring 107. When the screw is turned in the opposite direction, the spring rotates the gears in the-opposite direction'to close the valve. Thus, the 'color valve of each sprayer is very readily adjustable from the outside of the pulling of the the stencil drum. The framework 108 at its inner end has the slide block 116 engaging the sprayer-rod '39, While at the outer end is the extension .117 terminating in'the rider block the screw 116 pivoted in the outer end of the rod 39 and having the head 117. By turning the head and screw the block' 118 is shifted longitudinally and the frame 108 carried longitudinally over the sprayer-rod 39, and therefore all the-chains are simultaneously moved and the sprayers controlled could be electromagneticallyopened at suit-' able periods, or their outlet increased or didescribed in 110 118,'which has threaded engagement with my patent referred to. The circuit and con- ..gagement with its contact to close one of the sprayer circuits, and during closure of this circuit the valves of the connected-in sprayers will be opened by the electromagnet means, and the flow of color therefrom controlled. The sprayers at the outside of the stencil can, of course, be controlled in the same manner.

I thus provide a stencil printing machine in which close synchronization can be attained between the pattern of the stencil and the movement of the sprayers over the stencil. Adjustment can very readily be made for this synchronizing even during the operation of the machine, by means of the handwheel 72. The color controlling valves can at any time be quickly and very readily adjusted, either singly or simultaneously. All blotting or discoloration of the fabric is also overcome by the driving arrangement which causes the stencil and fabric to travel at the same speed. The improved construction of the surplus coloring mechanism enables me to keep the stencil absolutely clean of all such surplus coloring matter. All these varlous features taken together enable me to print a fabric which is prefectly clean, and whose colorings are in perfect match.

I desire to securethe following claims by Letters Patent: 4

. 1. Inc. printing machine of the class described, the combination of a stencil, driving means for said stencil, means for causing fabric to travel with said stencil, sprayersassociated with the stencil, means actuated by the driving means for reciprocating said sprayers across the stoned, and means whereby the speed of reciprocation of said sprayers may be adjusted with respect to the rate of.

travel of the stencil.

2. In a stencil printing machine, the com bination of a stencil, driving means for continuously driving said stencil, means for causing fabric to be printed to travel with said. stencil, sprayers connected with said .driving means to be continuously moved over the stencil during travel thereof, and ad justing means for adjusting the rate of movement of the sprayers with reference tothe rate of movement of the stencil. I

3. In a printing machine of the class described, the combination of a stencil drum, driving means for continuously rotating said drum, means for associating fabricto be rinted with said stencil drum, supporting are extending through saidstenci drum over the stenciling area thereof, sprayers transmission mechanism connecting said reciprocating mechanism with the driving 1 means, whereby the speed of reciprocation oi the bars can be controlled with respect to the rate of rotation of the stencil drum.

4. In astencil printing machine, the coiiibination of a stencil, driving means for driving said stencil, means for causing material to be printed to travel with said stencil, a supporting bar, sprayers supported. on said bar for applying coloring matter to the material through the stencil, means connected with the driving means for causing reciprocation of said bar during movement of the stencil, a second supporting bar away from the stencil and associated with the material to be printed, sprayers on said second bar for appl ing coloring matter directly to the materia and means connected with the driving means for causing reciprocation of said second bar during movement of the material.

5. In a stencil printing machine, the combination of \a stencil, driving means for driv ing said stencil, means for associating mate rial to be printed with said stencil, a support? ing bar adjacent the stencil, sprayers supporter on said bar for directing coloring mat-.

ter to \lie material through the stencil, a secsupporting bar for directing coloring matter directly to the material to be printed, and means connected with both bars and with the driving means for causing reciprocation of said bars during the movement of said stencil.

6. In a printing machine of the class described, the combination of a stencil, driving means for moving said stencil, means for associating material 'to'be printed with said stencil, a supporting bar, sprayers mounted on said. bar for applying coloring matter to the material, reciprocating mechanism connected with said. bar for causing reciprocation thereof over the material, a train of friction wheels connecting said reciprocating mechanism with the driving means, and means for moving one of the friction wheels with reference to the other friction wheels whereby the rate of reciprocation can be adjusted with respect to the speed of movement of the stencil.

7. In a printing machine of the class described, the combination of sets of sprayers, a supporting member for each set, means for causing material to be printed to travel continuously through the held of said sprayers, means for causing alternate reciprocation of the: supporting members of the sprayer sets across the material during its travel, and means for adjusting the rate of reciprocation with respect to the speed of travel of the material.

8. In a stencil printing machine,-the combination of a stencil drum, a belt for holding material to be printed against said drum, a main'driving shaft connected with said belt for causing rotation thereof and of the drum to carry the material with the drum, sprayers mounted in rows toapplly coloring matter to so that rotation of said friction wheel will cause operation of the reciprocating mechan ism, a friction wheel on the driving shaft, an intermediate friction wheel for transmitting the rotation of the driving shaft friction wheel to the friction wheel connected withtheconnecting rod, and means for bodily shifting the intermediate friction wheel with reference to the other friction wheels'to ad'- just the speed of rotation of the connecting rod friction wheel with reference to the driving shaft friction wheel, so that the rate of reciprocation of the sprayer rows can be adjusted with respect to the speed of travel of the material to be printed.

9. In a printing machine of the class described, the combination of a stencil, means for driving said stencil, means for causiri material to, be printed to travel with said stencil, sprayers for ap lying coloring matter to the material through the stencil, said material tendingto stretch and to moverela tively to the stencil, and means for adjusting the movement of the stencil to prevent such relative movement.

10. In a printing machine of the class described, the combination of a stencil, means for driving said stencil, means for causing material to be printed to travel with said stencil, sprayers for applying coloring matter to the material through the stencil, said material tending to stretch and to move relatively to the stencil, and means forincreasing the speed of the stencil to counteract such relative movement.

11. In a printirig machine of the class de* scribed, the combination of a stencil, means for carrying with said stencil the material to be printed, spra'yers for applying coloring matter to, the material, said material tending to stretch and to creep with refefience to the stencil, and means for advancing the speed of the stencil to counteract such creeping.

12. In a stencil printing machinaof the class described, the combination of a stencil drum, a belt engaging said drum, means for driving said. belt, the material to be printed passing fig'etween said belt and said drum so that travel of the belt will carry the material with the drum, sprayersassociated with the steneil for a plying coloringmatter, the material after lieing printed tending to stretch and to creep with reference to the stencil, and means assoclated with the stencil for increasing its speed to counteract such creepmg movement and to cause the stencil and material to travel at the same s eed.

13. In a printing machine of t c class described, the combination of'means for moving the material to be.printed,'a su orting bar, a plurality of sprayers on sairl r for applying coloring matter to the material, a va ve for each spra er, individual means for controlling each va ve, and a common means for simultaneously controlling said valves.

14. Ina printing machine of the class de scribed, the combination-of a plurality of sp'rayersfor applying coloring matter to ma-- terial to be printed, a valve for each sprayer, individual adjusting means for each valve, and individual controlling means for each adjusting means, said controllin means being grouped at a distance from t e Sprayers.

15. In a printing machine of'the class described, the comblnation of a plurality of s'prayers for applying coloring matter to material to be printed, a valve for each sprayer, individual adjusting means for each valve, individual controlling means for each adjusting means, said controlling means being grouped at a distance from the sprayers, and a common means for simultaneously actuating the valve adjusting means.

16. In a printing machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting bar, a plurality of sprayers mounted on said bar for applying coloring matter to material to be printed, a valve for each sprayer, adjusting mechanism for each valve, a controlling means for each-adjusting means, asupporting frame at the end of the supportin; ar on which all the controlling means are mounted, so that the adjusting means for each. valve can-be individually controlled. at a diet nice from the sprayers, and means for'cau: ing

relative movement between the supportmg frame and the bar to cause simultaneous control of the valve adjusting mechanisms.

17. In a printing machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of sprayers forapplying coloring matter to material to be printed, a controlling valve ing frame at a distance from thegprayers," a plurality of drums grouped on sai frame, a sprocket chain connecting each gear with one I15 for eachsprayer havihg a stern, a pinion on each stem, a gear for each p1n1on, a supportof said drums, means on said frame for he dividually rotatingsaid drums to thereby rotate the associated gear and pinion to adjust the valve, and means for bodily moving said supporting frame whereby all said gears are simultaneously rotated and the sprayer valves simultaneously adjusted 18. In a printing machine of the class des ribed, the combination of a stencil drum,

' a belt engaging said drum, driving meansfor 139 said belt, the material to be printed passing between sand belt and said drumso that travel of the belt will tend to carry the mo.- itcricl' with the drum, nesocmted drum edjusteol'to increase the speed of the means for said belt, the me printed passing between said lien; and port of drum to counteract such stretching and creeping.

19. In it stencil printing machine of the class described, the comhinntic s stencil drum, :1 heft engaging said drur driving Wei to be said drum so that travel of the hel 0 will carry the material with the d rum, means for applying coloring matter to ,the stencil, the meterial after being printed tending to move faster then the drum at El point Where the material leaves the drum, and menus for ppsitively driving the stencil drum to cause sniddrum end the material to travel to gther to prevent such relative movement.

' 20. In a. stencil printing in sehinethe combinaticn of e stencil, e drivir shaft, means connecting said driving shaft with said stenoil to cause movement thereof, sol-overs essocieted with the stencil to apply coloring matter thereto, said sprnyers being cable with reference to the stencil, pair of friction wheels on said shaft, a. second poi r of friction wheels pivoted adjacent said shaft, a t transmission file-lion wheel. engaging between the friction. wheels of the pairs, end means for bodily shifting said transmission friction wheel with reference to the pairs of friction wheels toclinnge the speed of the additional friction wheels, and a. connecting rod connecting said additional of friction wheels with said Sprayers.

21'. In a, printing machine of the class described, the combination of e stencil, spray e'rs, a, reciproceblc support for said s 'ircyers, a member adapted when driven to reciprocete said support, a driving shaft, means con necting said. driving shaft with the stencil to cause movement thereof, a air of friction wheels on said shaft, on adc itional air of friction wheels pivoted adjacent sci shaft, a transmission friction wheel pivoted 'between the friction wheels of the airs, a conmeeting rod pivoted to said uddltionel set of friction Wheels and connecting with the member for reci roosting the sprayer support, rotation o the driving shaft thereby causing movement of the stencil and reciprocation of the s rayers, said transmission friction wheel being shif to the pairs of friction wheels whereby the rate of r'eciprocctionof the Sprayers can be adjusted with reference to the speed of the stencil. Y

. 22. In a printing machine of the class dc scribed, the combination of n stencil, sp1ny-' ore for applying coloring matter to the stenoil, 9. support for the sproyers, u driving shaft, means connecting said driving shaft with the stencil to cause travel thereof upon rotstion of said shaft, a driving friction table with referencewheel on said shaft, on additional friction.

wheel pivoted adjacent said shaft, mechan- CHARLES L. BURDICK.

Witnesses H. W JAMEsoN, F. L. BAND. 

